Where and How and Why to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day

(Gerry Furth-Sides, photo credits as noted) St. Patrick’s Day has changed from a day of mourning for the patron saint of Erin into an Irish parade of rebellion against discrimination in American and finally into a joyous national celebration of all things Irish and green in food, drinks, and fashion to honor “the Emerald Isle.”  Corned beef and cabbage enjoy a special place on the table.

So does Irish Soda Bread. These days it can even be prepared with Gluten-Free Flour!

Easter Irish Easter Bread with the Chickpea Flour Cookbook

Mexican Casita Del Campo, long a staple in Silverlake,  keeps it green in color with their new green cocktails to celebrate the holiday.  garnished with A small clover leaf garnishes The Lucky Patron, a blend of Patron Silver, sour apple pucker, agave, fresh lime. The Mean, Green & Lean is prepared with vodka, lime juice, melon liqueur, and club soda.   The Straight Shooter with a baby Guinness, Baileys Irish Cream, and coffee liqueur.  The cocktails are strong so the Brunch Menu is a perfect pairing and adds a little Mexican twist to this holiday.   

Casita Del Campo, 1920 Hyperion Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027; 323.662.4255. Open for Brunch on St. Patrick’s Day. 

 Head Bartender Shaun Summers created the Red Beard at The Flats in Beverly Hills, which is known for Executive Chef Paul Shoemaker’s famous  Flatbreads.  The drink pays homage to the red beards that rule the land of Ireland.  Bushmills Red Bush Whiskey, ginger, lemon, Angostura and a touch of honey go into this “boisterous cocktail.”   Green Lager is also on  St. Patrick’s Day bar list.

Executive Chef Paul Shoemaker’s famous Flatbread Pizzas include the Artichoke & Feta topped with sundried tomatoes, Kalamata olives, basil and olive oil.

The FLATS, 8400 Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA 90211; 310.909.7549.  Open on St. Patrick’s Day for afternoon and late night Happy Hours.  For details and hours, please visit: www.TheFLATSRestaurant.com 

 

The Raymond 1886 is the perfect rustic place to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with specialty cocktails from Head Barman Peter Lloyd Jones and the 1886 Team.

A shot of $10 Jameson Irish Whiskey heads up the bar menu.  This includes  The 1917 Tipperary crafted with Irish Whiskey, green chartreuse, Carpano Antica, and orange bitters, and The Irishman, offered as a beer and cocktail special for $18 with Irish Whiskey, lime juice, and syrup, and a splash of Lager with the rest of the beer served in an ice cold glass.

Gaelic-like Happy Hour grub includes Irish Cheddar, along with gruyère, baked in the Mac-n-Cheese baked with Irish Cheddar.

The Raymond 1886 1250 South Fair Oaks Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91105; 626.441.3136, open for  St. Patrick’s Day, Brunch and Dinner. 

Executive Chef Travis Limoge at Pasadena’s newly opened Twohey’s Tavern created all day food specials and offers the “perfect” classic  Corned Beef & Cabbage, served with fingerling potatoes, Napa cabbage, heirloom carrots, rye bread, and whole grain mustard.

Drink specials feature the Irish Coffee, Irish Car Bombs, and of course Guinness Pints on draft.

Twohey’s Tavern, 2835 East Foothill Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91107; 626.449.2337, will be open St. Patrick’s Day for Brunch and Dinner. 

St. Patrick, born as Maewyn in Wales around 385 A.D., had a history of being kidnapped, enslaved and becoming a shepherd in Ireland before he was 20.  Through it all, he developed a strong faith in God.  After his escape and a long period of monastery study, he was ordained to the priesthood and returned to Ireland, where he was subsequently appointed as the second bishop.

St. Patrick not only converted thousands of Irish to Christianity, he founded hundreds of churches and known to have, “driven the snakes out of Ireland,” symbolizing the victory of the Christian faith over pagan rituals.  Why the three-leaf lucky shamrock?  Patrick explained the Holy Trinity doctrine to local tribesmen with it, the green color symbolizing renewal and the coming of spring after winter and the “pagan” darkness (much the same as the Christmas tree did at the winter solstice.

The downtrodden Irish population of Boston marched in the first St. Patrick’s Day on March 18, 1737, to make a statement about social status and job discrimination against them.  Ireland’s very first Irish St. Patrick’s Day parade, in Dublin, took place in 1931.